ARE TREES LIKE PEOPLE?

Okay, Okay, I’m sure a number of you are saying, "What kind of question is that". Of course trees aren’t people, they’re trees, but maybe we need to look at trees from a different perspective. By giving them human qualities it may be easier for us to relate to trees and respond to their needs. The result might be healthier trees and happier gardeners.

When we look at the people around us we see a collection of unique individuals. When we look at trees the tendency is to group them by cultivar and expect all members of that cultivar to be alike. From listening to the questions I’m asked, and by observing gardens around me, I see people wanting and struggling to grow uniformly shaped trees. When it doesn’t happen the result is frustrated gardeners. The simple fact is that each tree is unique. Trees develop personalities of their own... just like people.

Certainly there are beautiful gardens displaying uniform growth, where hours have been spent in choosing and tending the trees to achieve this desired end. However, most of the gardeners I deal with don’t have the time to attain this type of landscape. They would be far better off to grow a more natural type of garden, allowing the trees to establish their own natural shapes, only pruning to enhance those shapes rather than to change them - as one would guide a child to enhance his natural abilities rather than fight to change his personality.

Trees, like people, are affected by the environment in which they live. The same cultivar of tree in one location may be very symmetrical in shape, while in another location it may be smaller or perhaps twisted due to wind, sun, exposure or soil conditions, and show few signs of the symmetry of its sibling. Just as we as people behave differently in different settings.

Trees, like humans, are a direct reflection of the care they are given. They can be nurtured in a way that makes them strong or conversely in a way that makes them weak. It is possible to over-provide for a tree thus making it too dependent and perhaps sickly, or so smothered that it is unable to grow properly. The strongest trees, just like people, are the ones that are encouraged to use their natural strengths. They can be guided in a direction of growth but it is very difficult to change that direction once it is established or the tree has been left to grow wild with no guidance. As you can see there are many similarities between trees and people. Though I don’t really equate trees to people, I do think that it is necessary to look at things from different perspectives in order to see the whole picture. If you can allow yourself to think of your trees as unique individuals, rather than just trees, you may find you are a happier gardener. At the very least it may give you an interesting thought to ponder as you while away the hours in your garden.

Amanda Chedzoy

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